Conventional devices for supplying beverage syrups, juices, dairy ingredients, and similar fluid beverage ingredients have a fluid-housed container being connected to a conduit associated with a beverage dispensing apparatus. It is common, for example, for the beverage ingredient fluid to be provided in a bag-in-box container that has a port or fitting that may be connected to the conduit extending from the dispenser. Such arrangements are common and beneficial, as the conduit is sometimes either chilled or heated in accordance with what is needed for the particular beverage intended and the specific fluid being delivered through the conduit from the container.
One drawback with use of such containers, however, is caused by contamination or cross-mixing of the liquids passing through the conduit that passes between the bag-in-box container and the beverage dispenser. For example, it is important for the conduit to not become contaminated and that it be properly flushed and/or cleaned between different container connections. Also, because the fluid from the container passes within the conduit, it may be necessary to be periodically flushed to inhibit contamination of the fluid in the conduit. Cleaning and flushing the conduit is time consuming, disruptive and costly. Thus, it would be advantageous to provide conventional assemblies and apparatus for dispensing beverages and existing equipment for passing the beverage ingredients through chilled or heated conduits associated with a dispenser, without the risk for contamination of cross-mixing of the fluid being delivered from a bag-in-box container. Further, it would be advantageous to provide an economical structure of a container for delivery of fluid ingredients for a beverage dispenser that provides rapid assembly and connection of the container to the apparatus, such as a beverage dispenser.
Thus, a need exists in the field for an aseptic connection of a beverage ingredient container, such as a bag-in-box container, that allows for ease of fluid connection of the container without the need to clean and/or flush the conduit line of the beverage dispensing apparatus being used. The present disclosure provides a unique structure and method of such a connection, as described herein and shown in the Figures.